Poulter keeps Europeans in Ryder Cup hunt

MEDINAH, IL - SEPTEMBER 29: Ian Poulter of Europe celebrates with his caddie Terry Mundy after making birdie on the 16th green during day two of the Afternoon Four-Ball Matches for The 39th Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club on September 29, 2012 in Medinah, Illinois. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

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MEDINAH, Ill. — Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley helped stake the Americans to their biggest lead in the Ryder Cup in more than 30 years. Ian Poulter, eyes bulging and fists shaking with every clutch putt, at least gave Europe a lot of momentum over the final frantic hour Saturday at Medinah.

Right when it looked as if the Americans were a lock to win back the cup, Poulter birdied his last five holes to win a crucial point and keep everyone guessing. Steady chants of “USA! USA!” gave way to snappy serenades of “Ole, Ole” as both sides trudged to the team rooms in darkness to prepare for 12 singles matches Sunday.

The Americans still had a big lead, 10-6. Europe at least had hope.

“The last two putts were massive,” European captain Jose Maria Olazabal said after watching Poulter stay undefeated in this Ryder Cup by rolling in one last birdie putt from 12 feet. “That gives us a chance. It's been done before in the past. Tomorrow is a big day.”

Only one team has rallied from four points down on the final day — the United States in that famous comeback at Brookline in 1999. Olazabal remembers it well. He was in the decisive match when Justin Leonard rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole.

The final two matches Saturday were a showcase of what the Ryder Cup is all about — one brilliant shot after another, birdies on every hole, suspense at every turn.

Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia were on the verge of blowing a 4-up lead to hard-charging Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, hanging on when Donald matched two birdies with Woods, including a tee shot into the 17th that plopped down 2 feet from the cup.

Their 1-up win kept Woods winless for the first time in a Ryder Cup going into Sunday. Woods and Stricker lost all three of their matches, even though Woods made five birdies on the back nine for the second straight day.

Woods was thinking more of the big picture.

“Being up four is nice,” he said. “We are in a great spot right now to win the cup.”

Poulter and Rory McIlroy were 2 down with six holes to play against Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson when McIlroy made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th, and Poulter took it from there.

“We had to make birdies, and wow! Five in a row. It was awesome,” Poulter said. “I've got the world No. 1 at my side, backing me up. It allowed me to hit some golf shots.”

The crowd was still buzzing as it filed out of Medinah, and Poulter grinned.

“It's pretty fun, this Ryder Cup,” said Poulter, who raised his career record to 11-3-0.

It's been plenty fun for the Americans. Mickelson and Bradley were flawless in foursomes, matching a Ryder Cup record for largest margin with a 7-and-6 win over Donald and Lee Westwood.

Mickelson and Bradley have been so dominant that they have yet to play the 18th hole in any of their three matches. They didn't play in the afternoon, part of the master plan by U.S. captain Davis Love III to make sure his players were fresh for Sunday. Love became the first U.S. captain since 1979 to make sure each of his players sat out at least one match before the final day.

Now he finds out if it will work.

“We're not disappointed,” Love said of the late rally by Europe. “We haven't lost a segment yet, and we're just going to try to keep that string going.”

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